


spring comes, into my heart

by wowjunjun



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Adulting Struggles, Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Huang Renjun is a Pretty Boy, M/M, Na Jaemin is Whipped, Romantic Fluff, This is just cute and rainbows and gay boys falling in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-16 22:40:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29215065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wowjunjun/pseuds/wowjunjun
Summary: On a cold winter morning, Jaemin, a struggling bartender, takes up Jeno's offer to attend their chapel service forfree lunch.He doesn't know he'll find love there. From a pretty boy with an equally pretty voice.
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Na Jaemin
Comments: 16
Kudos: 99
Collections: Love Dream 2020





	spring comes, into my heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [amreuse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amreuse/gifts).



> Hey, Jude! This one's for you. I chose your third prompt and ran away with it haha. I was to make it a royal au but scrapped off the idea and crammed this one. I hope you'll like it!
> 
> It's my first time writing a (kinda tooth-rotting) fluff fic and I can't believe myself aaa I really love it, wow.
> 
> Anyways, have fun reading!
> 
> Title from K.Will's 'Love Blossom'

Today is Jaemin's day off and he plans on spending it well.

Despite sleeping late due to the nature of his work, he finds himself already awake at eight in the morning without any alarms waking him up. He does not complain though; it means more time to do things he has long wanted to do. And so he gets up from his bed and stretches his limbs to keep himself alert.

The sound of a famous pop song blares throughout his humble abode. Instead of listening to the news like most people do, he prefers tuning into his favorite morning playlist on Spotify. It helps him get into a better, more positive mood throughout the day.

Yawning, he rubs his belly as he rummages about his kitchen counter — turning on his electric kettle and preparing his coffee mix. He doesn't really like eating breakfast, since he normally wakes up when it's time for lunch (which saves him extra cash, so it's all good). He pads towards his only window, the one above his bedside table, to glance outside while taking a sip of his morning coffee.

His apartment complex might not offer a fantastic view of the city, but it's enough for Jaemin.

The sun is shining brightly outside and there is snow piled everywhere. Only a few people are roaming outside and he thinks it's because of the chilly air of winter. It's what — Jaemin taps on his phone to check — two degrees Celsius outside?

Taking a long sip of his coffee, Jaemin sighs. The warm roast is perfect, especially in this season.

Iced coffee might be his one and only one, but hot coffee also has an impact.

He puts the cup on his bedside table and flops himself back onto his bed. Flipping through apps, Jaemin wonders what to do this morning. He'd love to sleep more or maybe start watching a series, but those are too common; he could do that regardless of what day it is.

Randomly tapping through his friends' Instagram stories, he stops at a certain photo and squints. There is a young man whose hair is black and well-kept. He is facing a mirror and his camera is pointing towards his reflection, showing off his blue sweater with a collared white polo underneath.

Huh, is this Jeno?

Looking at the username, he finds out that yes, it's his college buddy Lee Jeno.

It has been a while since they have last hung out together. Graduating at the same year apparently meant lesser time to meet up; they became preoccupied with taking a well-desired vacation and sending out job applications. Jeno, as far as Jaemin recalls their latest conversation, landed a corporate job so he's very busy on weekdays.

Quite funny how they both finished the same degree but ended up in different careers. Jeno works in suits and ties, while Jaemin launders his two pairs of black uniforms every other day. Jeno has a 9 to 5, whereas Jaemin clocks from 6 to 2.

Anyways. Today's a Sunday so perhaps Jeno is free to hang out?

Jaemin opens their chat and sends a quick message to his friend.

**Jaemin**

You up?

He leans against the headboard and goes back to passively watching stories until a notification pops out.

> **Jeno**
> 
> I am, why?
> 
> You need something?

**Jaemin**

LOL I don't need something

Uh well

You free today? Let's hanggg

Jaemin entertains himself with scrolling through his Twitter timeline while waiting for Jeno's reply. There aren't many interesting tweets from his friends so with a yawn, he decides to go back to Instagram this time to watch videos on his Discover page.

He is on his possibly 5th video, a short clip about household hacks, when he receives a reply from his friend.

> **Jeno**
> 
> Call!!

**Jaemin**

G with lunch at ur place?

I'll bring chicken and beer, you provide the games

> **Jeno**
> 
> Can't with lunch
> 
> Have a mass to attend

Right. Jaemin forgot that Jeno's a devout Christian, and it's a Sunday today. He is about to suggest a change of plans but the other beats him to it.

> **Jeno**
> 
> Oh!
> 
> Wanna attend our mass right now?
> 
> You don't have anything to do at the moment I'm sure LOL
> 
> Free lunch from our church aunties~

Now, unlike Jeno, Jaemin is not really... attached to his spiritual self. He used to be, back in grade school, where his parents enrolled him to a Christian academy, hoping their son would grow up well and with fear of the Higher Being. That was until he went into college where he met lots of people from all walks of life; taking a Philosophy elective did not help his dwindling faith as well.

So Jeno actually inviting him to attend a Christian mass is kinda funny for him. Jaemin can say that he's not interested, which he is sure his friend wouldn't mind, but then again there's an offering of free meals and he’s a struggling young adult with a measly paycheck. His friend is right too; he'll just probably hole himself inside his apartment until Jeno's free.

It wouldn't be _that_ bad, would it?

That's how Jaemin finds himself right now. On the subway. On the way to the church.

It's a 20 minute travel from his place, just five stops away, and he's surprised about it as well. Jeno sent him the address after he agreed and he automatically looked it up on Naver maps (bless the heavens for technology). There is only one stop left before he transfers lines and he's standing by the end of the cabin, watching people inside.

There is an old lady sitting straight but with her eyes closed. A few seats down from her are a couple who are too close for comfort; Jaemin mentally rolls his eyes at the sudden display of affection. _On a morning_. There are a couple of teens standing beside him who are loudly gushing about something. Perhaps a game, since he cand pick up a few words he knows by heart as a gamer himself.

Then, Jaemin shifts his attention to the scenery passing quickly beside him. There's plenty of buildings, real estates, and nature. Jaemin loves that even though winter has made it bleary and boring, there's still random bursts of color from the establishments.

Moments after, Jaemin arrives at the station leading him to the address. The app says he needs to walk for a few minutes before he reaches the destination. Straightening up his outfit, a black turtleneck topped with his stylish and very warm leather jacket, together with black jeans and leather boots, he follows the directions on his phone.

**Jaemin**

I think I'm here

WRU?

I'm shy I just can't get inside randomly

Yooo Jeno?

Jaemin scans the entire building, hoping he'll see a familiar mop of black hair and angular face. The map tells him he has arrived, and when he looks up he can see a tall white building with plenty of glass windows. There's a garden beside it, but it looks pale given the season right now. A sign on the building shows that he's in the right place but he just can't go inside, figuring that everyone knows each other in a tightly-knitted church such as this one. It would be extremely weird if a random stranger walked inside and stayed throughout the meal to eat lunch.

Jeno still hasn’t replied after 10 minutes and he has heard people mumbling about the mass starting in a few. Jaemin debates on calling his friend or ditching him entirely.

But he prepared for it, and his efforts would go into vain if he just goes back to his place.

It is extremely weird, but fuck it. He goes inside.

As expected, the walls of the church are also painted white, enough to give an impression that this is a peaceful and comforting place of faith. Jaemin follows the crowd and he ends up in a fairly huge room with chairs akin to the churches he had gone to before. Must be a general church thing, he thinks.

The room is pretty crowded so Jaemin tries to be as inconspicuous as possible, seating himself on the farthest row and bowing to greet an old man who decided to sit on the same bench. He makes himself comfortable and looks around, still in search of Jeno. He opens his phone to check if his friend had replied only to hear a tongue clicking on the background.

Jaemin glances beside him and sees the old man looking at him and at his phone with a frown before facing the altar in front. He smiles shyly and pockets his device. No wonder Jeno hadn't replied.

The mass begins and as he expected, it's boring. He can still recall some familiar Biblical terms that the pastor is mentioning in his sermon but apart from that, he feels out of place. It has been a long time since he attended a mass. Although, it's quite interesting to hear opinions about how to live your life for the better — Jaemin might need to take down notes because he's barely surviving as it is.

Stifling a yawn, Jaemin tries to stretch his legs and his limbs. He chances to take a quick glance at his seatmate and much to his relief, the elderly is transfixed on the pastor's sermon.

His work last night at the bar is quickly getting to him now. He wants to sleep, the pastor's voice a perfect lullaby.

Moments pass and thankfully, the sermon ends. The crowd claps their hands and there are a few people getting up on stage.

"What a wonderful day to sing for the Lord! Everyone stand up!"

At the announcement, the crowd stands up; some are even bouncing in delight. Not wanting to look like a sore thumb, Jaemin gets up as well and acts as if he knows what's about to happen.

"Oh Jeno!" He spots Jeno on the stage as the guy wears the guitar strap and settles with his musical equipment. Huh, that's a surprise. Jeno is playing guitar in front of many people. Jaemin is used to them singing along every drunken night at their dorms — Jeno on guitar, Donghyuck on vocals, and Jaemin... as a supporter. He doesn't know Jeno can perform too.

The person on the cajón thumps the box in three before the whole band starts their song. It's an upbeat song with a nice rhythm.

"Sing with me, brothers and sisters!" The boy leading the song starts singing and oh wow...

His voice is so beautiful.

The boy is very pretty.

Jaemin is lost in his thoughts until the old man claps his hands in front of him, taking him out of his stupor. He smiles shyly before imitating the crowd, clapping their hands and humming to the song.

All throughout the song number, Jaemin's eyes are only fixed on the beautiful boy with an equally magnificent voice. Of course he has heard a good number of people sing live, but for some reason, the boy's voice captivates him. It's soothing, calming Jaemin and taking him to peaceful land. Perhaps it comes with being the praise and worship leader of your church.

"Raise your hand if you would like to reach out to the Lord. Let us feel his presence right now with us."

This signals a change in the song, from a lively one to a soulful ballad. Jaemin can see almost everyone around him closing his eyes, feeling the song and taking the lyrics by heart. He does not want to lie and do the same, so he just stares at the boy in front. The people wouldn't find out anyway.

And so Jaemin has taken a liking to Renjun from just hearing his voice.

Renjun is the said boy's name. Even the name sounds pretty as well.

He learned the boy's name from Jeno, whom he finally found after the mass. They were at Jeno's place, talking about books and their movie adaptations when his friend mentioned that Jaemin is similar to Renjun who prefers books because of their authenticity.

("Who's Renjun?"

"Ah, remember the small guy singing on stage earlier? That's Renjun.")

Once he has heard Renjun's voice, he just cannot stop wanting to hear it over and over again. It's angelic; the way he sings is nothing but heavenly, like a beautiful serenade of an angel. Jaemin doesn't know musical terms but from a bystander's perspective, he can say that Renjun is an amazing vocalist. He can capture the emotions of the songs perfectly, influencing the crowd to feel the same way. Uplifted and full.

Renjun is all in his head, to the point where Jaemins starts paying casual visits to the church whenever he has time. His bar shift really doesn't help his pursuit, truth be told; he ends his shift at around two in the morning, goes to sleep at three, and the mass starts at nine. Oh well, anything just to be able to hear the angel's voice again.

It's expected that Jeno will question his friend's sudden interest in attending their mass service. The Jaemin he knew was carefree and on neutral terms with his spirituality. Nevertheless, Jeno, bless his good soul, thinks he's having a change of heart in faith and is very excited to have him onboard as well.

At least that saves Jaemin from all the teasing. What a relief.

"Try to sit near the front for today's session," Jeno tells him one time. They are in the chapel but not yet inside the main hall. There's still a few minutes before the mass starts, hence everyone who has already arrived is loitering around, chatting with each other, and waiting for others

Both of them are currently seated on a bench, warming their hands with a cup of coffee a generous auntie gave all of the people around as an energizer — for today is a rather cold snowy day. It's almost past the season of winter, yet the temperature still drops to negative.

Jaemin looks at his friend, confused, and the latter shrugs. "Just so you don't feel out of place at the back. Or are you already buddies with Mr. Park?"

Mr. Park is what they call the old man Jaemin is seatmates with every mass. The elder likes sitting at the back for reasons even Jeno doesn't know, while Jaemin _prefers_ to sit at the farthest seat to not draw much attention.

"Nah, he judges me too much," Jaemin sighs, earning a chuckle from his friend.

"Well, you dress like you're either attending a weekly funeral or coming from a night out."

Jaemin frowns. Were his outfits that terrible? He just likes wearing monochromatic (read: black) clothes. He can't believe people from the church are sensitive with outfits too.

He actually sits at the third row this time. Next to Mrs. Lee, Jeno's mom, whom he has met a few times before when she visited the university to check up on her son and during their commencement, of course. He bows to greet her and much to Mrs. Lee's delight, she hugs him and asks him how he's doing after graduation.

From this vantage point, Jaemin admits that the view is definitely better. He can watch Renjun from a safe distance, without getting found out, and that's exactly the point of going here. The Higher Being might be displeased with his resolve, but he's just a man in love — to his lame excuse.

But that's just what he does: admire from afar.

Jaemin just _cannot_ make conversation with Renjun. It feels as if he'll be tainting the nonexistent impression Renjun has of him. Or so he would like to think because really, a new guy showing up on your church being nothing but out of place with his outfit would of course get some eyes and mouths going. Either way, less interaction means less mistakes. He's content with just... _this_.

"Let's all dance to this joyous day that Our Lord has given us!"

Renjun hypes the crowd with such finesse. It's not awkward and forced, meaning he has been doing this for quite a while _and_ his talent is supreme. He brings warmth to this bleak winter morning.

_"We will not be shaken,_

_And fear won't have a hold on us_

_Today, today"_

Jaemin sings along. For how many weeks he has been actively attending masses, he is slowly learning the songs Renjun sings in front. Are church songs actually this catchy? Jaemin remembers organs and full-on chorale when he was a kid. Maybe this is the effect of modernization. After all, the beat is easy to follow and there are lyrics projected on the side.

Jaemin doesn't have plenty of free time to spare but he manages to not just attend the weekly chapel service, but also start joining bible study sessions.

Jisung, a cute teenager whom Jeno introduced to him after the mass, has invited him to join their discussion group. They meet up every Sunday afternoon, just a few hours after the mass, to talk about the recent eulogy and share their thoughts and experiences related to it. Not knowing how to turn down such a good-willed invitation, Jaemin agreed to join.

Therefore, his Sunday rest day has now turned into a full on service day.

Jeno actually gave him a pat on the back and a tight embrace when he told about joining a bible study group. "I'm so happy for you, man," he says as he wipes his fake tears. Jaemin lightly punches him on the arm for joking around. "No but kidding aside, I'm glad to see you enjoy the community."

Truthfully, the whole chapel community isn't bad at all. They are pretty welcoming for a random guy who's a college friend of their chapel mate. Aunties keep him well-fed while the uncles are nodding whenever he crosses paths with any of them. He has even conversed with the pastors, and while that was internally awkward, he's glad that these people don't mind him barging in.

"Jaemin hyung! I'm glad you came."

He searches for the owner of the voice and finds Jisung settled down on the floor with a book on his lap. Waving back, he walks towards the younger boy and sits down beside him. "Yeah, barely made it on time. I ate ice cream with Jeno at the convenience store."

Jisung tells him they will wait for everyone expected to arrive before starting. That leaves him enough time to roam his eyes around the area. He sees familiar faces among the small group they have; their interactions limited to brief nods along the hallways and mass proper, nothing but a sign of acknowledgement and greeting.

And Renjun.

Oh my god. Renjun's here?

Jaemin cannot believe this. He's meeting him again today, but this time it's so much more up close. He feels like throwing up the kimchi stew he had for lunch. His nerves are on the edge and his hands are spasming. Swallowing a lump in his throat, he turns his attention back to Jisung who is now talking about a game.

"Okay, I think we can start now?" Someone calls for everyone's attention. "I think we have a new participant today, so let's get to know him." The facilitator says as she turns her attention to Jaemin.

"Uh, hello everyone? I'm Jaemin. Nice to meet you."

She introduces herself as Wendy, the facilitator of this group, and urges the rest in the circle to introduce themselves as well. When it is Renjun's turn, Jaemin cannot help but stare at him — as if he doesn't know his name yet.

The session begins and Wendy leads the discussion well. She prompts everyone to give their honest thoughts about certain topics and makes sure all the things mentioned in this room will only stay here. They are now talking about spiritual blockers when Wendy calls for him.

"How about you, Jaemin? Since you've just recently joined our community and all."

Jaemin widens his eyes, quite taken aback from the question. Rubbing his palms on his black jeans, he stammers: "w-well... I think it's my work keeping me mostly preoccupied. I usually wake up late and sleep late because of it so I barely have time for other things, yeah."

"What's your work?" Someone asks.

Jaemin looks for the person who asked only to find out it's Renjun. Oh dear Lord.

"I, I... Bartender. I'm a bartender."

Renjun nods and Wendy brings a couple more questions after. Jaemin lets out a deep sigh after his turn ends. He can't believe his first conversation with Renjun is about spiritual blockers and he stuttered so badly. Real smooth of him.

In all honesty, Jaemin thinks Renjun doesn't like him.

He joins the succeeding group meetings and realizes that, for some reason, Renjun barely talks to him. While it's not necessary for everyone in the group to talk to him, Jaemin knows when he's being disliked.

He notices that Renjun gives him clipped answers when they are talking, but when he's talking to others, he is relatively a lot more upbeat and responsive. Sure, Jaemin doesn't give the best replies since he's trying his best not to combust in front of his _crush_ , but Renjun barely even acknowledges his presence during their group activities.

That puts Jaemin down...a bit. But hey, maybe time will tell!

The ringing of his phone wakes him up from nap.

Jaemin cups his bed, trying to locate his phone with closed eyes. He taps the screen and the sudden light from his phone strains his unfocused eyes.

It's his sister calling.

"Hello?"

"Jaemin! My lovely brother, are you busy now? Wait, did you just wake up?"

He grunts as a reply while his sister replies with a soft chuckle. "Perfect then! Can you please pick up Taro at the daycare? I'm still stuck at work because I have an urgent file to submit. You're not yet on the way to your work, right?"

Jaemin puts away his phone from his ears to glance at the clock. It’s quarter to four. "Sure - I can do that, and no - my shift starts on seven tonight."

His sister thanks him and offers dinner as a gratitude payment, which he refuses although he knows his sister would still phone in a delivery regardless.

Jaemin gets up and changes his clothes. Checking today's weather he sees that it's about five degrees outside. That's fairly warmer than the past few weeks. With that information, he looks through his closet to find the appropriate clothes to wear. Perhaps he can do with three layers today and forgo the thermal shirt.

As soon as he's done, he gives himself a quick once over in the mirror. He'll just pick up a kid at a daycare and there's nobody to impress but maybe a few middle-aged teachers but still, he wants to look good as much as necessary.

His nephew's daycare is just a few bus stops away from him so he walks towards the nearest terminal and waits for the bus to arrive. Keeping himself preoccupied, he puts on his earphones and starts his playlist. With this mood, he allows himself to survey the scenery around him.

It's nothing new, really. The same road he used to see every time he goes outside. However, he has noticed that there are relatively more people outside and that there is more color than just pale monochromatic tones from the past few weeks. March is around the corner and that also means that Spring is about to come. As the thought crosses his mind, his phone suddenly shifts to a new song.

_Spring, Spring, Spring has come._

What a funny coincidence.

He finally reaches the right stop minutes later. Walking towards the school, this time without the help of GPS, he notices that the streets look a bit different from the last time he was here. Of course, he has fetched his nephew quite a few times; his sister is a single mom who needs to work twice as hard, so she sometimes misses Taro's dismissal time. After all, she prefers going to the school herself instead of contracting a school bus. Taro would just go home to an otherwise empty house if she's still not home and she doesn't want that.

Anyways, Jaemin cannot relate nor he has the interest to start a family _yet_.

The hollers of the children keep him from his thoughts. The daycare still looks the same, with yellow painted walls and a rainbow colored wooden fence. Kids are outside, bundled up in thick padded clothes, playing in the open area, waiting for their guardians to come pick them up. The scene in front looks warm and oddly comforting.

Jaemin spots his nephew as soon as he enters the premises. Taro is busy playing with a little boy on the seesaw, pushing themselves up and down alternatively and giggling as they do so.

"Taro-chan!" He calls for his nephew.

The little kid looks around for the source and lights up when he finds out who it is. "Uncle Jaem Jaem!"

Due to his excitement, he bounces out of the playground equipment, completely forgetting his playmate. The said kid falls from the sudden loss of weight on the other side, throwing him off balance and causing him to stumble. In a beat, Jaemin hugs Taro and runs towards the poor boy, who's now crying hard from shock.

The loud crying alerts everyone and Jaemin tries his best to console the boy, hugging him as well.

"Hush now, kid. You're safe now, okay? I got you. I'm here."

Thankfully, the little boy calms down, his sniffles and light hiccups the only remaining noise. Jaemin heaves a sigh of relief although the voice at the back startles him.

"What's going on?"

Turning around, Jaemin is incredibly surprised to find Renjun behind him, swearing an orange jumpsuit with the school logo on its chest. The latter shares the same shock as him; he widens his eyes and opens his mouth wide.

"Teacher!" Taro's playmate untangles himself from Jaemin's embrace and dashes towards Renjun, wrapping his short arms around his teacher's legs.

Renjun quickly shifts his attention to the kid and kneels down to face him. "Sungchan, what happened? Are you alright?"

Sungchan nods and wipes the tears off his eyes. "Fell from the seesaw," he mumbles. Renjun gasps and cups the kid's body in worry. "No, teach, I-I'm okay. No ouchie."

"That's good to know, bud." The teacher fixes Sungchan's hair and turns his attention back to Jaemin.

As if Jaemin can read the other's mind, he mutters: "H-Hello, Renjun. I came here to fetch my nephew." At the mention of the kid, Taro shows himself, face pale and worried for his friend.

"Oh, you're his uncle. Cool."

"Yeah."

Before the silence eats them, Taro goes towards his friend and holds his hand. "Chan Chan, I'm sorry. Is there ouchie?"

Sungchan sniffles, nose runny from his fit, and nods. "It's okay, Taro. No ouchie." He smiles bright and the two kids share a hug. Jaemin always coos loudly from the cuteness.

"Now, Sungchan. I guess you should go to Teacher Doie to help you clean up, hm? And you Taro, please get your bag on our shelves so you can go home with your uncle already."

The little boys nod and go to the direction of the other teacher who guided them back inside the building, leaving the two together.

They both stand up and dust themselves off. Clearing his throat, Jaemin tries to initiate a conversation.

"So... you work here?"

"Yeah."

"Nice."

He looks at the direction of the building's door and wipes off his clammy hands on his coat. It's cold — why is he sweating?

"I didn't know you're the Uncle Jaem Jaem our Taro has been talking about," Renjun begins, observing the other kids in the playground.

Surprised, Jaemin asks how he knows about the nickname. "Well, Taro is a very shy kid. However, whenever we're talking about fairytales, he always mentions a certain Uncle Jaem Jaem that is as handsome as a prince, if not more."

Jaemin turns red at the story and chuckles awkwardly. He tries to change the topic. "I've never seen you here, you know. Sometimes I fetch Taro-chan myself when my sister can't."

"I used to do the morning shift and just recently got assigned to the afternoon session." Renjun shrugs. A whip of cold air passes by, causing both of them to shiver. "Taro is taking a while. Do you want to have some warm tea?"

Jaemin mentally thanks Taro for being slow and plans on treating the kid to a McDonald's snack on the way home.

"S-sure, lead the way."

Jaemin tries to join the community's outreach activities as well. If his schedule deems it fit — which is actually free, there's not much to do as a full time bartender — he'll take up the offer to go to the orphanage the community is actively supporting.

Interestingly, neither Jeno nor Jisung invited him. It was Renjun who approached him one day after their bible study session ended.

("By the way, I don't know if you're already aware but we have an outreach activity every month. It's on the 13th. If you're interested, come with us?"

Surprised by the invitation, Jaemin reddened and mentally blamed the cold for it. "T-that's cool. Tell me more details.")

That's also how he got Renjun's number. The pretty boy gave it to him so that they can contact each other right away should Jaemin decide to join the monthly outreach. He still cannot believe that he managed to get his crush's number and now they're text mates. Renjun apparently has a habit of sending stickers, the cute pink peach ones, to match almost every response he sends. Jaemin finds it terribly adorable — how can someone have it all?

Renjun tries to open up more to him after that time at the daycare, and Jaemin is so happy to learn more about him.

("So... like, I'm just wondering," he starts, while they munch on the free lunch for the volunteers. It's break time today and the orphan kids are eating at the same time too. Renjun hums to say that he's listening. "How did you become the lead singer of the church? Did you like, I don't know, audition for it?"

The question startles Renjun and he chuckles, however the rice gets into his airway, sending him to a coughing fit. Jaemin uncaps a water bottle and passes it to him in an instant. "Are you okay?" He asks, concern evident on his face.

"That's so out of the blue it surprised me," Renjun replies. "But to answer your question, to be honest the opportunity just came? I really like singing and performing but after graduating from the university, there's fewer chances to be on stage again. And then came a community meeting, people suggested setting up a live band that'll perform worship songs to make it more engaging. My mom recommended me, I dragged Jeno, and that's how it happened."

"I'm glad then."

"Sorry, what?"

"Hm?" Jaemin looks at Renjun and shakes his head. Shifting his gaze to the kids who are now playing with the new toys they've given, he explains. "I mean—that's good. You really have a beautiful voice. It's like you're made to be on stage."

He misses the soft blush creep across Renjun's cheeks.)

Jaemin also didn't imagine he'd have fun helping little kids. The only child he has ever taken care of is Taro and he puts up with it because he's his nephew. Taro could be too energetic sometimes, and Jaemin just wants to sleep. Playing with the orphans is tiring, of course, but it's worth it. The fulfillment he feels whenever he sees the kids smile and laugh along with them squeezes his heart.

Additionally (and quite frankly the initial reason for all things Jaemin has been doing lately), he can see Renjun longer. In this area, the pretty boy just shines all the more. Renjun is a preschool teacher and he's incredibly good at handling children. It's blinding; Jaemin feels himself squint his eyes from how much Renjun is glowing every time.

Oh God, he's very _very_ whipped.

After so long, it's finally Spring.

At least that's what Jaemin's weather app alerted him to. He woke up a few minutes ago from his blaring alarm and tried to prepare a quick lunch, however the absence of any consumable food in his pantry and in his fridge halted him from his plan. Hence, he finds himself all set to go outside and fill up his kitchen — as much as his budget allows, of course.

Instead of going to the nearby mart, Jaemin feels rather adventurous today, thus he opts to visit the bigger grocery on the city's heart. On usual occasions, he'd rather do it quickly but the weather is very refreshing today, making him want to stay outside longer.

The trees are now growing back; gone are the twigs of brown and now luscious green fills the void. The air is warmer, birds now flock together, and it's just full of life everywhere. Although it's still fairly cold, it's not as bad as the previous winter. Jaemin can now wear two layers of outerwear and not die from freezing.

Spring is really the best season.

He reaches the mart shortly after. The building is huge and there are lots of people going in and out. Taking out a small cart, he walks inside the glass door and pulls out his short grocery list. He should not go beyond 70,000 won if he still wants to survive until the next payout. Adulting is really a stressful experience.

He is in the section of baking essentials, having an inner debate on whether or not to buy a box of pancake mix, when he is interrupted by someone tapping his shoulder. He turns around and almost jumps in surprise as he sees him.

"Jaemin! Fancy meeting you here."

Renjun is grinning widely, holding the push cart's handle on his other hand. He's dressed in an oversized beige sweater with blue and red sleeves paired with faded jeans and sneakers. Jaemin flushes as he tries his best to stay calm and collected in front of a very very _very_ cute boy drowning in his clothes. Is that even his?

"H-Hey, Renjun. Didn't expect to see you today." Renjun scrunches his nose and casts a quick glance on his hands where he's holding two brands of pancake mix — he's trying to check which is a better buy, price and quality-wise. Out of bewilderment, he drops both of them in his cart and chuckles awkwardly. "What are you doing here?"

Renjun shrugs. "Buying myself a meal to cook for my birthday."

"When is it?"

"Today."

The force of Jaemin whipping his head to face Renjun can almost snap his neck but he furrows his brows and pouts his lips. "You're kidding."

Renjun chuckles and shakes his head. "I'm not. Today's really my birthday." He pushes his cart towards the shelf where the bags of flour are neatly organized. Jaemin tailing behind.

"You didn't tell me about this."

"Well, you never asked."

Fair point. They, especially Jaemin, have asked each other random questions via texting or during their community activities but funnily enough, the topic of birthdays hasn't crossed once. He did not expect it to be so soon; he hasn't prepared anything for goodness sake.

Of course, he wants to give something to Renjun. The cute boy deserves that and more.

"So, do you have a house party or something?" He asks to which the other shakes his head.

"Parties are old school. I'm just treating myself with plates and plates of grilled meat."

A thought crosses Jaemin's mind. He bites his lips in contemplation but ultimately he decides _fuck it_ , it's a special day today, might as well do something worthwhile.

"Where are we going?"

Dragging Renjun around, he racks his mind for the items he needs to buy in order to execute his plan. Starting with vegetables, he picks the fresh looking produce and has them weighed. He's pushing both of their carts now and his next destination is the poultry section.

"What are you doing?" Renjun asks again.

Jaemin is scanning the wide array of meat selection and pokes some of the packaging. "Celebrating your birthday," he answers and places a number of meat packs on their cart.

Renjun balks and pulls the other's arm. "You don't have to do this. I'm fine with a simple meal alone."

"Listen," Jaemin stops from tracks and faces him, taking both of his hands. "It's _your_ day today and it's very special. I'll cook you the best seaweed soup ever. And! I don't take no for an answer. Splurge on yourself a little too, Renjun."

Jaemin is quite astonished that Renjun did not put up a fight. Although at check out, Renjun insisted to pay for everything they have bought — save for Jaemin's own grocery, which Renjun sneakily tried to pay as well but got caught before he scanned it on the same transaction.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Renjun shyly mumbles while opening the door to his apartment.

Jaemin cautiously enters, peering over to check if someone is also home. "Do you have a roommate?" he asks as they both toe off their shoes.

"Nah, I prefer peace and privacy. Although it's true having one would help me split the rent..."

Jaemin grins at that; he can truly relate with wanting to live alone but struggling to manage finances. Ah, back in university, his only problem was passing each subject. How he missed those times.

Renjun's home isn't at all huge, although probably a bit bigger than his, yet it looks spacious. The white painted walls keep the interior clean and the furniture compliment each other. There are framed photos on the wall; a few are sceneries, while most are of Renjun with other people. The glass windows do their job perfectly, with natural light flowing inside and accentuating the features of Renjun's pad.

Speaking of the owner, Jaemin hears him come out from another room. He has changed to a much more comfortable set of clothes, the oversized tee looking too cute on him. Renjun really has an affinity for larger clothes. Oh to have him drown in Jaemin's clothes...

He blushes at the thought.

"Feels like I'm with a realtor," Renjun jokes, making Jaemin chuckle. Well, he really surveyed almost every nook and cranny of the apartment.

"I'm just amazed. Your place looks really nice."

"Thanks, I try my best." Renjun goes towards the shopping bags and places all of them on the kitchen counter. Looking back at Jaemin, he wonders, "So... what's your plan after buying so much food?"

At that, Jaemin snaps out of his pining thoughts and goes to the kitchen. Even Renjun's kitchen is tidy and well-kept.

"I got this. Go to your room and entertain yourself, or sleep, I don't know. I'll call you once I'm done doing my magic." Feeling brave, he sends Renjun a playful wink to which the latter scoffs.

"I honestly do not have much energy to argue but please don't set my kitchen on fire."

"You can actually raise your expectations, Renjun. Just you wait!"

"Renjun, food's ready!"

More than an hour after, Jaemin excitedly places the pot of soup on the dining table. He assembles the griller beside, complete with a generous portion of meat and a wide array of side dishes alongside it.

"Finally, I'm hungry," Renjun mumbles, stretching as he reaches the table.

"Where are your utensils? I can't find them." Jaemin scratches his head and Renjun smiles at him. He opens a drawer and picks up two pairs of spoons and chopsticks, placing all on the table.

"Nice — now, you sit down. I'll go get the cake." Renjun gets pushed on a chair while Jaemin goes back to the fridge, ignoring Renjun's _when did we buy a cake?_

Once he has successfully poked the candles, he lights them up and goes back to the table. Grinning widely, he sings Renjun the happy birthday song.

"Happy birthday to you~ now make a wish, birthday boy!"

Renjun, who has been beaming the entire time, nods and closes his eyes. Placing his hands on his chest, he leans closer to the cake and blows the candle. Jaemin cheers heartily afterwards.

"Now, now, you have to eat my seaweed soup!" He scoops a serving and pushes the bowl toward the celebrant, waiting expectantly for his reaction.

The other boy blows the steam off his spoon. A few bites after and he's still quiet; thus, Jaemin prods, his head leaning on his palm. "Well?"

Renjun looks at him and shrugs. "Not bad."

"Oh, okay." Jaemin visibly deflates at the lackluster response, pouting and stabbing the poor pork with his utensils.

The birthday boy giggles and takes a loud slurp from his soup. "Mmh! It's so delicious! Jaemin, you're so good at cooking."

"No, you're lying."

"I'm not! I was just messing with you earlier. Your reaction was cute. You're an amazing cook, okay?"

Jaemin tries to bite the smile etching on his lips. Glaring at Renjun, he huffs and gives him the cooked meat on his plate. "I know that already. Now eat more, it's your day today!"

Just like that, the two spend the entire afternoon eating all the food they've bought in the grocer earlier. If Jaemin calls in sick to work only to stay longer in Renjun's simple birthday celebration, nobody but him knows the truth.

On the same week, the chapel greets Renjun a belated happy birthday during the mass. He gets individual greetings after and Renjun's cheeks ache from smiling wide and thanking everyone who wished him well.

His eyes meet Jaemin's, who has been looking at him the entire time, and the two of them share a knowing look. Both of them turn away a few seconds after, Jaemin's face turning beet red.

He fails to see that Renjun is blushing too.

One of the most awaited moments in Spring is, of course, the bloom of cherry blossoms.

Renjun has been very excited about the approaching week. The national tourism board released a public announcement a couple days ago regarding the perfect time to visit the cherry blossom parks throughout the country. Jaemin receives a text from Renjun containing the poster from the board's official Twitter account, eagerly inviting him to go to the nearest park with the rest of their friend group in the church.

Ah yes, Jaemin has attended the weekly activities consistently for about two months now and he has already found a social circle within the community. It's just him, Renjun, Jeno, Jisung, and a guy named Mark, but Jaemin's happy to have made new friends. They are all almost at the same age so it was easier to bond with them.

With the thought of hanging out with his friends, Jaemin excitedly agrees. He asks for more details such as date, time, and venue to plan ahead and Renjun supplies in an instant. It seems as if he already planned it a long time ago; Jaemin finds the thought very adorable.

Instead of a park within Seoul, Renjun decides to travel to the neighboring city and go to Nami Island. He argues that since they are going there, it is best to take it further and visit more interesting places than the usual Seoul scenery — which Jaemin understands. Thus, he phones his manager and books a leave for the entire day.

Jaemin actually stays a moment too long staring at his closet when the day comes. He wants to look good, since it's been a while since he has hung out with friends. After so much pondering, he decides on a plain white tee with a dark green bomber jacket and distressed jeans. He styles his hair and sprays on a bit of perfume. Smiling at the mirror, he approves his outfit and goes out to meet up with the rest of his friends at the promised train station.

"Hey Jaemin!"

He looks at where the voice is coming from and sees Renjun at the café inside the station. Said boy is wearing a yellow cardigan with a light gray hoodie underneath and he looks even cuter in it, Jaemin wants to squeal.

"Now that you're here, let's go?" Renjun exclaims once Jaemin appears in front of him, putting his sling bag around his arm.

The taller squints his eyes and grabs the other's hand. "Wait — where are the others?"

"Oh, about that..." Renjun falters. Looking at Jaemin, he smiles hesitantly before continuing. "They all bailed out on us. Jeno and Mark are stuck with work while Jisung has an exam to prepare for. I really don't want to just cancel our plans after all those excitement and preparations so...is it alright if it's just the two of us?"

Just the two of them going to Nami Island to view the cherry blossoms. He is going to spend the entire day with Renjun...and it's only just the two of them. Cherry blossoms...Nami Island...one day...Renjun...

 _Oh_.

It seems like Jaemin has gone silent and stood still for quite a while so Renjun takes it as a sign and quickly adds: "I mean, i-it's okay if you don't want to. You're probably not expecting getting stuck with me and I'm a boring person around. I guess if you want to we can just stay in Seoul or l-like cancel this altogether and just reschedule? We can have everyone—"

Jaemin snaps back to reality and cuts him short. He grins and nods, holding onto his backpack and trying his best not to look like a tomato.

"No, Renjun, it's fine. U-us two together is o-okay. Let's go?"

Renjun widens his eyes at his agreement and his smile comes back even brighter this time. "Nice! I'm excited to see the cherry blossoms after so long!"

Jaemin is now _very_ thankful that he filed a leave of absence.

After getting off at Gapyeong station, Renjun is already bursting with excitement. Thankfully, they managed to catch the bus on time and the ferry is still loading when they arrive. Renjun offers to buy their tickets since it's his idea after all. Jaemin tries to counter, but both agree that he'll just buy something in return later.

As expected, Nami Island is spectacular. The scenery is just like what is shown in the movies, majestic and nostalgic. It has been quite a long time since Jaemin last visited the tourist spot — their school did a field trip when he was in sixth grade — but the beauty still remains. There's a couple of changes, of course, and yet everything is reminiscent of how it used to be.

Nature is alive and flourishing. Tall trees are standing proud, swaying to the rhythm of the air. Jaemin breaths in and out. There's a stark difference with the air around here; it's way better and more relaxing than the one in Seoul.

"Aw, there's not many cherry blossom trees here." Renjun pouts as they walk around the area. There are a lot of people, despite the spot being more known during autumn. Kids are hand in hand with their parents, while some are running around, freely like birds in the air.

"It's okay. The Garden of the Morning Calm is around the area too. Let's check it out later," Jaemin offers once they settle down on a bench.

The park in front of them is full of families and couples having picnics. It seems domestic and romantic, and Jaemin lets his mind wander for a bit. What would it look like if he and Renjun went out on a date? A picnic date, to be exact?

But aren't they on a date now?

"Are you okay?" Renjun asks as the other suddenly comes to a coughing fit. He gently rubs the others back, hoping it would help soothe the tension. "What happened to you?"

Jaemin ungracefully gulps on the bottled water, trying to push down the stuck food on his throat. "I choked on the hotteok and it's still hot. I thought I'd die."

"Don't be dramatic."

"But I'm not lying!"

Renjun side eyes him and chuckles. "Sure, next time be careful when eating. Take small bites, you big baby."

Jaemin hides his smile from the sudden endearment by swallowing another piece of hotteok.

They roam around for a few more minutes, Renjun excitedly interacting and feeding the animals and Jaemin continuously taking snaps of the scenery (and of Renjun, that's a given). The older calls it off after they seemed to have rounded the entire island.

"I'm starving - let's get a huge meal!" He exclaims as they get off the ferry. There's a restaurant nearby and Jaemin almost gets dragged by the petite boy, whose stomach is growling from hunger.

They order dalkgalbi with cheese and udon, which the auntie serves them generously. While waiting for the chicken to cook, they engage in a small conversation.

"You know, I never thought you'd be active in service."

Jaemin fills both their glasses with water and he takes a sip. "Why not?"

"Well," Renjun starts, but he sips on his own glass first before continuing, "because I just figured you came unwillingly after getting invited."

He is partially right, though; Jaemin hadn't expected he'd be where he is right now. He used to have stopped believing and his days were spent resting or doing mundane activities. Who would have thought he'd be attending masses regularly and participating in the community actively?

All because of the boy in front of him, Jaemin's brain helpfully supplies.

He lifts his chin up and rests it on his palm. "What made you say that?"

"I don't know — I just got that vibe from you. Also, we don't usually wear all black and grungy outfits for mass, you know. And forgive me for stereotyping but people who dress like that don't usually..." Renjun trails off, scrunching his nose.

Jaemin gets it, but not without jokingly replying with: "Ouch, you thought I'm an emo punk guy?" to which Renjun rolls his eyes playfully.

To avoid scorching the chicken, Jaemin gives it a good mix. He puts down the flat spoon on the table and glances back at Renjun who is already munching on the side dishes.

"Since you've started talking about first impressions, I'll let you know what I first thought of you."

"Sure, fire away."

Jaemin swallows a bit of courage and spills. "I think you're pretty. Like an angel."

Instead of replying, Renjun stuffs his mouth with more food and avoids looking at Jaemin, who is pressing his lips to hide his smile. He picks up a piece of kimchi with his chopsticks and takes a bite. Both of them don't know how to proceed from here, too taken aback from the quick turn of the conversation.

Thankfully, the auntie arrives with more side dishes and turns off the stove for them, saying that the meat is already cooked and they can already start digging in. Which is what they do. There's silence between them but it isn't awkward. It's warm and relaxing, perhaps there's already a subliminal understanding.

They follow the directions leading to the Garden of Morning Calm once they've finished their meal. It is only a few stops away and Renjun is again buzzing with excitement as soon as they see the signage of the famous tourist spot.

As they enter, Jaemin pulls out his camera, wearing the strap along his neck. Photography has been his greatest passion, and it gives him immense satisfaction whenever he gets to snap a moment and keep it forever. He is particularly interested in capturing candid moments, since those bring out more flavor and impact.

"Oh my god, it's so amazing! Look at the flowers, Jaemin! Aren't they beautiful?"

Renjun twirls around the bed of Azalea flowers in the sunken gardens. Giggling, he softly caresses the petals and tries to inhale a sniff of its aroma. Jaemin cannot help but press his shutter at the view.

"Yeah. It's beautiful, Renjun."

The pretty boy drags him around the different gardens, awestruck at the spectacular colors of nature before them. He, of course, takes a longer time appreciating the cherry blossoms, taking his phone out and documenting on his own. He even tries to sneakily pocket a few petals just to put them on his books to dry. All the while, Jaemin is just there, looking around and taking photos of Renjun.

Renjun looks even prettier like this. Like a fairy, playing around his own garden of flowers.

Just like Spring, there's a blooming warmth within Jaemin. He hopes Renjun feels it too.

Jaemin cannot believe this is happening but he has consumed all paid leaves on his employment for the year. A year ago he had not even used them all; save for maybe one leave he needed to take because his mother demanded him to come home for his cousin's wedding. There was not really a reason to do so, until he met Renjun and got into the church community. Now, he has asked for leaves just to attend whole day conferences, charity events, and that one date-not-date with Renjun.

As such, he cannot afford to ask for more leaves since it would only risk his job and lessen his monthly pay. And speaking of money, he could barely survive for the rest of the month, having spent most of them _unconsciously_ on that day out with the pretty boy. His measly extra cash allowance per month only allows him a couple of extra snacks as it is, the dalkgalbi meal was totally unwarranted.

However, Jaemin does not regret spending the entire day and the most of his monthly budget with Renjun. No. That's the happiest day he has had in awhile; he thinks he deserves that much.

In order to earn more, he decides to take up additional shifts. Gone is his one and only day off; for the meantime, he is going to work the whole week. It'll help his wallet breathe better, he convinced himself before telling his manager, who is enthusiastic to get more hands on a busy day.

Working on Sundays also means he cannot attend the weekly mass service. He relayed such sad news to Renjun, who frantically asked for his whereabouts the first time he missed it. Jaemin is even sadder to be unable to meet up with Renjun. His free times in the afternoon are spent sleeping and getting more energy for the hectic shifts.

Quite unsurprisingly, Renjun has had such a positive impact on his life; his daily routine has changed and now after becoming involved in the church — which we all know how it started — he’s come to believe and follow once again. His parents will definitely be enthused with this news.

He misses Renjun terribly but they still text sometimes. Yeah, sometimes. Because as much as he wants to reply to Renjun as soon as possible, he's busy during work hours and he's dead all throughout the morning.

Renjun doesn't mind though, he's kinda busy with daycare events too. Although he actively sends him memes and random links to interesting things he saw on his social media feed. On the other hand, Jaemin gives him updates on any stories on the job. The pretty boy finds it funny that he doesn't like drinking alcohol but works at a bar as a bartender no less.

"Hey, at least the pay's good. It's also cool mixing and making up concoctions, you know."

"Sure, but how would you know the taste of your mixes without drinking them?" Renjun answers back. Jaemin can feel the smugness radiate from the call.

"If you're years into this, you have this thing called _intuition_ , Renjun."

Renjun chortles on the other line. "Fine, fine. I guess I need to experience it firsthand to find out."

To Jaemin's surprise, Renjun truly comes to the bar where he works with his friends. He does not recognize these people so he assumes these are not from the church. Thankfully. He is not ready to mess up in front of familiar faces.

Renjun and his company find a table on the far left, quite near the bartender station. From Jaemin's point of view, the group seems to be close to each other, and they're loud despite not having drunk yet. The pretty boy actively participates in the conversation, which the bartender finds adorable.

Jaemin stops observing and goes back to work after two guests appear in front of him.

The discovery that Renjun drinks, and he drinks _a lot_ stupefies him. He did not expect such a pretty person, whose beauty is comparable to angels and fairies, to chug a mug of beer in one go after losing a game. That's completely far from the image he has of him... needless to say though, he also finds this Renjun hot.

Oh God, he needs to work.

Jaemin chances one more glance at him and finds that Renjun is looking around as well. Their eyes lock and Renjun beams, standing from their table and striding towards the station.

The bartender's heart skips. His nerves are on fire.

"Hi Mr. Bartender," Renjun slurs, obviously tipsy already. He settles himself on the high stool and rests his chin on his palms. "May I get your best blend here? I have been told your _intuition_ makes it perfect."

Jaemin chuckles from the implication and nods along. "Sure, wait a minute."

Like clockwork, he proceeds with preparing his own version of Kamikaze, placing right amounts of lime juice and triple sec on jiggers before throwing them in the shaker. Once done, he grabs a scoop of ice and puts it in the shaker, sealing it with the lid. He turns to his guest, whose gaze is fixed on him, and smirks. Putting on a show of shaking the drink until he deems it good enough, he places a fancy looking glass and pours the concoction slowly into it. He dashes in a bit of bitters before handing it to Renjun.

"A glass of Kamikaze for the pretty boy in front of me." He's feeling particularly brave tonight. Perhaps the orange juice in the kitchen fridge has alcohol in it; his coworkers love smuggling some on their own sometimes. Thus, he can never be so sure.

Renjun smiles, impressed with the tending skills he has seen. He grabs the neck of the glass and tips it lightly in a way of greeting, then chugs it down. The bartender's eyes widen at that — people don't usually one shot those types of drinks.

They converse for a while and Renjun tries to buy him a drink, which he respectfully declines. On some occasions he'd indulge their guests and make himself a virgin (a non alcoholic drink, not _that_ ) but he'd rather focus on his guest tonight. His very beautiful guest whose eyes are lined with kohl and body fitted with a fancy sparkling top. He has never seen Renjun like this; he's used to seeing him in cardigans, long-sleeved shirts, and hoodies.

At some point one of Renjun's friends calls for him and he reluctantly slides off of the stool. Jaemin watches them get inebriated by towers and cases of alcohol. Seems like they're celebrating something — not a birthday for sure, or else the staff would have alerted them and prepared a small number for their table. Whatever it is, Renjun is elated, giggling and howling along.

Jaemin rings the bell, notifying the whole bar that it's the bartender's last call. It's already past midnight and they are about to close. A few guests swing by the station to ask for more water and craft beer, which he prepares quickly.

In the end and as expected, Renjun ends up drunk, _wasted_ so to say, but he manages to swerve his friends off who are ready to carry him to their cars or hail him a taxi. He is left on the table, seated on the couch and snoozing from intoxication. Jaemin cleans up speedily and bids goodbye to his colleagues before walking towards the pretty boy.

"Here," he places two glasses of water on the table and wakes Renjun from slumber. "Drink some. It'll help you ease your drunkenness.

Renjun mumbles inaudible words but obeys, chugging the water as if it's alcohol too. The bartender chuckles softly at that, completely enamored by his cute actions.

"Why didn't you leave with your friends?"

"W-waited, I waited for you to finish. Your s-shift ended now?" Renjun yawns and stretches his limbs. He stands up and drags Jaemin when the latter nods in confirmation. "Let's go!"

"Go where?"

"I don't know." Renjun giggles. "Everywhere!"

Jaemin walks him home. Renjun regained a bit of clarity when he splashed his face at the bathroom, while waiting for Jaemin to get his bag in the employee's quarters. He can walk by himself and so he does, beside the bartender who offered to get him home safely.

It's silent. Probably three in the morning now so Seoul is still fast asleep, save for other people who have also treated themselves to a night out. As they round the street, there's nothing but the two of them outside. They're noticeably tiptoeing around _something_ but Jaemin is too tired from working straight hours while Renjun is still a bit winded by the amount of alcohol he consumed. However, although the air is not awkward, the latter doesn't like the quietness so he opens his mouth to speak.

"I missed you, you know."

Jaemin stops in his tracks momentarily and frowns at him. Did he hear that right?

Seeing his confusion, Renjun's cheeks redden, visible thanks to the streetlights around. "It's just, for some reason, so weird to not see you in the church anymore and even at the other community events. I know, I know we talk via text but that's — I don't see your face through messages, okay? It's weird. You're just all over the place and after our date you never showed up. Anyway, okay? Don't mind what I'm saying I'm still drunk. Y-yeah."

Jaemin's ears ring at Renjun's mention of their cherry blossom hangout as a date. He feels even warmer now, despite the chilly Spring breeze. He blushes and, feeling brave again, takes Renjun's hand as they walk to Renjun's apartment.

"I missed you too, Renjun. Always."

They trek along the uphill road and go up a flight of stairs before Renjun turns to him and smiles. "I guess we're here now. Thanks for bringing me home." He gives Jaemin a quick peck on the cheek and bids him good night. Jaemin flounders, eyes as wide as saucers.

"W-Why? W-What? I-Is t-this what I think it is?"

"Yes, Jaemin. If it's not that obvious, I like you too." The pretty boy giggles and squeezes their hands, which are still intertwined.

Jaemin gasps and lets go of Renjun's hand to put both of his on the other's cheeks. "Too!? Huh? You _knew_?"

Renjun gives another peck this time on the lips. "Well dumbass, you weren't as slick as you thought you are."

"Oh my God."

"Amen to that."

**Author's Note:**

> Spare some comments and kudos? Thanks for reading! <3
> 
> [twt](https://twitter.com/wowjunjun) / [cc](https://curiouscat.me/wowjunjun)


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